Grounds of Insanity
by cherryvixen416
Summary: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results. Trying to control the world with parasites also falls beneath it, but apparently no one saw THAT in the dictionary. But just what will it take to get out alive?
1. Chapter 1

_Here's a surprise, something not NIMH-related! My big sister _loves _Resident Evil 4, but she says its because she can, "Kick ass without getting in trouble, not because Leon's hot." Yeah, right, sis! Anyway, she's finished the game about a gazillion times, and I finally decided to write something for it. I'll be adding more as I go. Hope you like!_

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><p>He watched the land speed by in the windows, the monotone of grays, greens, and browns a constant, quaking blur. The officers with him were talking quietly in Spanish, which, though he gave no sign of it, he understood perfectly. They were talking about various attacks that had occurred in an Amish village, the same one where the president's daughter had last been seen. At first he'd listened to the tales with earnest, but had stopped caring when they gave no mention of a petite blond girl, or anyone similar to the girl's appearance. He pulled a small photo from his back pocket, staring at it absent-mindedly.<p>

Her name was Ashley Graham, a twenty-year-old student who had been kidnapped while on her way home from her university. She'd been alone, wearing an orange top, a green plaid skirt, and light brown boots. Her hair was a few shades lighter than his, falling to her shoulders, framing her slim face. He turned the photo, deciding she really wasn't all that attractive, but there seemed to be something about her. He just couldn't place what. He glanced up when they stopped, putting the picture away. The man not driving had gotten out, urinating into the bushes. There was a sudden chill in the air, the grey clouds above only growing thicker.

_Just my luck, _the blond man thought to himself. His name was Leon S. Kennedy. (The 'S' stood for Scott, not that he'd let_ anybody_ find that out.) He was twenty-seven, hired to protect the president's family. This rescue mission was his first job. He let his head fall back against the seat, ice-blue eyes falling shut as memories of the past coursed through his mind, namely the Raccoon City Incident six years earlier. He'd been a rookie officer then, barely twenty-one, thrust into a nightmarish world of zombies and demonic entities. It was there he'd first become familiar with the G-virus, as it had infected the entire town. The few survivors had been running out of safe places to hide, but they'd been afraid to leave, not wanting to spread the disease.

_This shouldn't be the same. _They stopped again, after going over an unstable wooden bridge.

"Just up ahead is the village," the driver said, motioning up the path. Leon nodded, stepping out into the frigid air. He pulled a handgun from a holster on his thigh, making sure the safety was off before moving forward. He wasn't surprised they didn't follow him; from their perspective they'd merely been transportation. He could feel the temperature dropping, suddenly wishing he could zip his sheepskin jacket, becoming lost in his thoughts as he continued through the trees. A large house stood in a clearing, and he knew someone was watching him as he neared it, and there was also a truck blocking the path. He knew he could climb over it, but he didn't want to risk ticking off whoever owned it, not wanting to distract himself with some mediocre fight.

_It's too quiet around here, _he thought. The front door was open, steps to the porch creaking under his weight. The place looked abandoned, so he stepped inside. A sudden chill ran up his spine, growing colder when he saw a man bowed over the fireplace.

"Excuse me," Leon let his hands drop, putting the gun back in its holster. "Sir?" the man didn't reply, straightening and wiping sweat from his forehead. The agent shrugged, going closer, pulling the picture from his pocket. The man turned, glaring angrily at him. He ignored it. "I was wondering if you might recognize the girl in this photograph?"

"What are you doing here?" the man hissed in Spanish. "Get the hell out!"

"Sorry to have bothered you," Leon scoffed sarcastically. He shoved the image away, looking up as the blade of an axe scrapped against stone. He leapt away to dodge its blade, somersaulting to his feet, gun back in his grasp. "Freeze," he shouted angrily. The man kept coming. "I said freeze!"

He dodged another strike, knocking the man from his feet. Blood, bone, and brain coated his hands as he shot the man's skull. _They don't speak English. _The roar of a motor caught his attention, and he ran to the window. The truck had come to life, skidding away down the path, screeching tires, shouts, and gunshots coming from the distance. The sounds ended abruptly with a loud crash. There were also three other villagers coming toward the house, one each with a sickle, axe, and pitchfork. The front door was blocked, so Leon looked around for another way out. He found a closet hidden under a staircase, full of skulls crawling with maggots and smelling of rotting flesh. He barely held back the bile in his throat, dashing up the stairs.

He grabbed a box of ammo from a small table, not caring how it got there, before leaping out the window. Again, he somersaulted to his feet, gun held high. _I don't have all day, _he thought, shooting the first man as he came near. The man fell to his knees, Leon kicking his head to pieces. He turned just as another swung down, smashing his face in with the butt of his pistol. The third one seemed to have vanished. Leon had just let his guard down when an axe spun by his head, becoming buried in a tree trunk.

_What's wrong with these people? _He shot the last guy down, slitting his throat just to be sure. Again, the area was far too quiet, enough so he could hear the river they'd driven over. He followed the urge to run back that way, seeing the bridge destroyed, black smoke billowing from the wreckage. Only the rusted pick up was in the ravine, with no sign but tire tracks of the officers or their van. "Oh, no…" he backed away, going back to the house. Resting beside it was an old cart with a box on it. Inside was another box of ammo, which he shoved in his attaché case. He wondered why it was lying around, but wasn't going to argue. The path to the village was silent, the only living creatures crows and a dog he'd freed from a bear trap. The wounded mutt had licked his hand, running off before he could help further.

_Who left that thing lying around, anyway?_ He hadn't seen any bears or signs of them, guessing it must have been to keep out intruders. He moved further along, seeing a bloody signpost with two skulls hanging from it, their gaping eye sockets lashed through with rope. The sight made him shiver. He soon came to a gate, shoving it open to reveal a village a short distance away. He moved behind an old tree, pulling binoculars from his pocket. _What in God's name…?_

The people there appeared to be normal, chasing chickens, chucking hay, getting water from a well. But there was a large fire burning in the center, with one of the officers he'd arrived with hanging from a trunk, a sharp branch thrust through his chest. His eyes had been gouged out, jaw open in a silent, fearful scream. _If only he'd come with me…_ He walked closer, taking a side path so he wouldn't be seen. He came upon a woman with a pitchfork, leaning on it as she wiped sweat from her forehead. He added a silencer to his gun, making sure the clip was full. He cocked it just as the woman turned. There was a look of insanity in her eyes as she lifted her weapon, but she never got a chance to use it.

He fired once, shattering her skull. The headless body staggered a moment, then fell to the ground. He was shocked to see the remains dissolve, again nearly vomiting at the stench. _Something's wrong with these people, _he thought, running behind the houses. He'd just reached the tower when someone shouted, a man on the roof pointing at him with a knife. Leon swarmed up the ladder, a green object catching his eye. It was a box of shells for a shotgun. _What the hell's going on here? _He shoved them in his pocket, thinking he could use them later. He watched the villagers swarm the tower, pulling out his knife and kneeling by the ladder. Good a shot as he was, he wasn't going to waste ammo by shooting them from up here.

They came one by one, each uttering a strange cry as he slit their throats, the bodies falling to the wooden floor below. The second they died they dissolved, bubbling into a thick brown liquid before soaking into whatever surface was beneath them. After what seemed an hour of this there was the distant crash of a church bell, calling the few survivors through a metal door with a cryptic red marking. He jumped down from the platform, running into the open just as the last of them disappeared.

"Where's everyone going?" he asked. "Bingo?" his only reply was cool wind in his face. He looked around, deciding to check the houses to see if he could find anything useful. He kept his gun drawn; watching for them, knowing at the same time the village was empty. In the end he ended up with several boxes of ammo, a few multi-colored herbs, and a shotgun that belonged in a museum. _Beggars can't be choosers. _He'd also found a few coins, and figured they'd come in handy, if he ever found someone civilized. He glanced once at the digital map on his communicator; there were three ways out of the village, not counting the one he'd come through, but he'd been told to follow the trail next to the tower.

_Might as well see where it leads. _ He shoved aside the wooden gate, seeing a small farm. Chickens were running freely, and the place stank of manure. He could hear several cows mooing nearby, people muttering something about a "murderer in the village". He rolled his eyes, seeing a blue sheet tacked to a tree. The bottom half was torn, and what little writing there was said something about medallions, how shooting them would get him rewarded. He looked up to see one dangling above his head, just out of reach. His hands moved of their own accord, pulling the trigger before he knew what was happening. The next instant splinters of wood fell in his hair, the yard full of savage yelling. He looked to see several men come toward him, all but foaming at the mouth as they attempted to kill him.

_What's going on here? _He dodged one with an axe, pistol-whipping him in the back of the skull. Leon to the others before he fell limp, shooting one in the knee, another in the head. They kept coming as though nothing had happened. He noticed they were pushing him back toward the gate, and shoved his way between them. He ran closer to the barn, barely dodging an attack from a woman. She shrieked in fury, the sound cutting off as he slashed her throat. It seemed to be the only way to kill them easily, though with the men it usually took more than one swipe. By that time the two from before had caught up, and three more had joined them. He thought quickly, going back to the gate and pulling out the shotgun. He'd almost forgotten he had it. He waited for them to get close, then pulled the trigger.

The force of recoil surprised him, even more when he saw them get up, again like nothing had happened. Whatever these people were, they were certainly persistent. _This is insane. _He fired again, this time when a capped man was right in front of him. He looked down at the gaping hole in his stomach, before suddenly falling dead. Leon didn't watch while the corpse dissolved, having to kill off the others. He'd made the mistake of thinking they could be scared off. It should have been obvious from the scene in the village: these people meant to kill him, and wouldn't give up until they were killed first.

When at last they'd fallen dead, he couldn't help but notice how quiet it was. He suddenly wished he had an Ipod, or something he could use to distract himself, so he wouldn't have to think about this eerie silence. But then he realized how stupid it sounded. He couldn't afford to be distracted, especially since he hardly ever heard those guys coming. Having music blare in his ears would be suicide. Besides, he had a mission to focus on. Finding Ashley was his top priority, not keeping himself entertained. He took out the photo, seeing a girl with blond hair and hazel eyes. She'd been kidnapped a couple months before her twenty-first birthday, and she'd been trapped here for almost three. He tried to envision what she'd been wearing, instead getting an image of a gorgeous girl in skinny jeans, a dark leather jacket, sleeveless orange top, and brown suede boots. He wondered who it was, hearing a rumbling behind him.

It was a boulder. He sprinted, leaping away and watching as it crashed into a wall of rock, breaking into pieces. He looked inside a tunnel, seeing a house on the other side. There were also two things glistening in the curved roof. He shot them down, frightening the bats, causing them to fly around his head, annoying the crap out of him. Through the cloud of wings he could see a man standing by the house, a stick of dynamite clasped in his hand. Leon shot without thinking twice, watching the man scatter from the explosion. Again, every bit of the body dissolved, even the blood spatters. It seemed to be a signal.

_I'll make them come to me. _He stood in the tunnel, turning when he heard them. Baring gritted teeth, he again pulled out the shotgun, waiting for just the right moment...

_"Ahhh!" _Dynamite exploded in front of him, sending him flying back. He managed to catch himself with his hands, flipping to his feet. He brought up the gun, blasting the closest one before the man had a chance to react. The blast sent them all flying, some into a trap planted in a shed. A massive blast threw him back the moment their bodies connected with the slim black wire, breath fleeing his lungs as he was thrown on his back. He lay there a minute, stunned, groaning as the bodies around him dissolved into slush and soaked into the earth. He waited a second before getting up, wanting to make sure the area was empty. All he heard were crows and the wind, and a strange banging coming from the other side of the yard.

_What is that? _He moved toward the other house, using a rock to break the padlock holding the door shut. The large front room was cluttered with furniture, and looked as though it'd just gone through a fire. The banging grew louder, but something told him to watch his step as he went down the hall. He soon saw why: two more dynamite threads strung to the walls. He shot them both, shielding his face from the blasts. The banging got even louder, and he pushed aside a bookshelf that was sitting in front of an open doorway. Turning the corner revealed a large wardrobe, which was moving around as though someone were trapped inside. He moved forward slowly, going to one side as he unlocked the doors. A black-haired man fell to the floor, shaking his head and grunting, wide-eyed when he saw the gun pointed at him. Leon knelt down, ripping off the duct tape that held te man's mouth shut. He gasped in pain.

"Ah!" he was lightly panting. "A little ruff, don't you think?"

Leon rolled the man on his stomach, undoing the rope that bound his hands.

"You're...not like them?" the man asked.

"No, you?" Leon pulled the rope off, and the man rolled away, rubbing his wrists.

"Okay," he said. "I have only one, very important question. You got a smoke?"

Leon smirked. "Got gum."

They were interrupted by loud stomping. They looked to see a huge man in a black trench coat, with a false red eye that glared even more harshly than his real one.

"Perfect," the black-haired man was still sitting, supporting himself with his hands. "TheBig Cheese."

"What?"

It was then Leon noticed the two armed men behind the giant. He ran forward, gearing up for a roundhouse kick, only to have his foot caught in midair. He gasped in shock, only to be thrown head-over-heels into the Spaniard, the force sending them both into the wardrobe and shattering it. Both were out cold instantly.

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><p><em>So, this chapter is finally over, which means now the story <em>really_ begins! _

_BTW, and I know this is a bit early to ask, but how would you guys feel about a sequel? I was gonna do a crossover of this and the original _Yu-Gi-Oh!. _What do you think? PM or review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_This took me forever to write, mainly because our computer is acting up and I keep losing the files with my stories in them. I keep asking my mom for a flashdrive, but she won't get me one because my other sister, Cassie, is being a spoiled brat...as usual. Anyway, hope you enjoy chapter 2!_

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><p>He stared at the church, feeling rain drip from his hair. It had been a long, harrowing road to reach this point, but now he finally had the key he needed. The disk had been hidden behind a waterfall, and obtaining it had been no easy task: swarms of psychotic, mutated villagers, demonic dogs, and even a grisly battle with a grossly deformed giant. Thankfully, the dog he had rescued earlier had arrived to help him, had distracted the creature long enough for Leon to land the killing blow. Incredibly enough, not only had the animal survived the ordeal, it had actually stuck with him, apparently quite happy to remain by his side.<p>

"Stay here," he said, once they reached the doors. The dog obeyed, going to a seated position as his master inserted the wooden key. In a minute he wagged his tail, having heard the lock click. Leon smiled, shoving the doors aside.

The interior of the church was dank, but looked as though it had been used until recently. Thunder crashed, lightening illuminating a large, dark circle resting on the wall above him. He also felt fur drift past his leg; apparently, the noise outside had spooked his canine friend. Leon glanced at the dog, shielding his face as the creature began shaking, sending drops of water flying.

"Hey, easy!" he said, wiping his forehead. "I'm already soaked!"

The dog ignored him, having caught a scent. Leon followed him to a ladder, at which he began whining and scratching. The agent tilted his head back, scratching the creature's head with scarred fingers.

_Oh, so _that's _where they're keeping her…_he glanced at the dog.

"Stay put this time, would you?"

The dog cocked his head, lying down with his head on his paws. Leon turned back to the ladder, seeing a gate once he got to the top. He scoffed. _Great, now what? _Just then, he noticed the circle again, three smaller ones in different colors hanging beneath it. He lowered his gaze to a large painting of a hooded man, along with what appeared to be a control station. Unfortunately, it was on the other side of the church, and his only path to it was blocked by a metal lattice.

Or was it?

He looked again at the enormous chandelier hanging from the ceiling, getting an idea. If he could somehow reach it, he could jump to the other side. He went as far back as he could, took a running start, and leapt. He landed smack in the middle of it, the momentum making it swing back and forth. He waited until it was closest to the other side of the ledge, landing in a crouch a few feet from the control panel.

_Well, here goes nothing._

(****)

Ashley glared at the wall. She had been trapped in this room for weeks, with little more than the food and water she'd stashed in her backpack. She had her friends had been getting ready for a summer-long camping trip, and she'd had to go back to the White House to get the rest of her gear. She'd just gotten past her university when she'd been ambushed, shoved in a van, and heavily sedated. She'd woken up a few times during transit, and there had always been someone ready to inject her with another mess of sedatives.

_I'm surprised they didn't kill me, _she thought, staring at the several small scars of her shoulder. She'd finally woken up alone in this closet, and her survival instincts had immediately kicked in. she'd been in uncomfortable situations before, though it had usually been of her own volition. She'd wanted to be prepared, just in case something like this happened.

_And now it's paid off. _She groaned, kicking aside a loose piece of brick. _At least I remembered to charge my phone before I left. _Her battery never lasted long, but she'd managed to get a call through to her father, telling him what had happened, but that she also had no idea where she was. Thankfully, her cell also had a GPS tracker, meaning her father had already known she wasn't in the woods with her friends.

_Well, I'm in the woods _somewhere, she thought, recalling the glimpses of land she'd gotten in her few, scattered moments of consciousness. _Just not at home. _She sighed, looking around at the filthy walls, practically hearing the cockroaches crawling in the sacks of soiled flour. But her attention switched to the door, and she jumped to her feet as the hinges creaked open.

"Stay back!" she demanded, picking up a chunk of wood. It wasn't the best weapon, but at least it was something. The first thing she saw was a gun, and tensed to throw. "I said stay back!"

She tossed it, narrowly missing a blonde man, who dodged to the side.

"Hey, take it easy!" he said, surprised. Ashley remained standing, arms crossed tightly at her chest. The man was a good deal taller than she was, dressed in cargo pants and a sheepskin jacket. His black shirt was soaked, clinging to his well-defined chest and stomach. He brought his gloved hand away from his face, revealing cool, bright blue eyes, and surprisingly chiseled features.

"Who are you?" Ashley demanded, trying to hide her shyness. She couldn't, however, hide the blush on her cheeks.

"My name's Leon," he replied, holding up a hand as he placed his gun in a holster on his thigh. "I'm under the president's order to rescue you."

He looked up, and his mouth fell open. Standing before him was the girl he'd been daydreaming about: the long blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, the dark leather jacket, skinny jeans and brown suede boots. Her skin was pale, probably after so many weeks trapped inside, making her amber eyes all the more prominent, her full lips look even more pink. He stared a minute longer, then pulled his communicator from its place on his belt.

"Hunnington, it's Leon," he began. "I've succeeded in extricating my subject."

"_Wonderful, Leon," _the slim brunette with glasses replied.

"Where's the extraction point?"

"_There's another path you can take to get out of the village," _said Hunnington. _"The chopper will pick you up beyond there."_

"Got it, I'm on my way."

He cut the signal, looking back at the girl before him. Contrary to what he'd thought, she didn't look injured at all. She didn't even look dirty.

"My friends and I were leaving for a camping trip," said Ashley as though in response to his stare. "I'd just gone back to grab the rest of my gear. That's when _they _abducted me."

"The _Los Illuminados_?" he asked. She nodded.

"I think that's what they call themselves," she shrugged, then went for her backpack. She zipped it shut, pulling the straps over her shoulders. When she was done, she turned to look at him. "Why do you keep staring at me?"

He pulled out the image he'd been given. "This doesn't look anything like you."

She blew a raspberry. "That old photo was taken months ago," she said. She took it, letting it flutter to the ground. "That crybaby's gone now."

She walked out, Leon close behind. in a few seconds they came to the ladder.

"I'll go first," he said. "Climb down when I give the all-clear."

Not wanting to waste the time, he simply vaulted down, drawing his gun and aiming it around the church. After a few minutes, he moved back to the ladder.

"It's clear!" he called to her, and was barely prepared when she fell in his arms.

"What the—"

"I did it to save time," she said, and ran a nail down his chest. "Plus, I'm just being a girl."

It was his turn to blush as he set her back on her feet. The sand-colored dog sniffed at Ashley's hand, then licked her fingers, making her giggle.

"Stop it!" she brought her hand away.

"C'mon," Leon said to her. "Let's get out of here."


	3. Chapter 3

_At last, here's chapter three!_

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><p>"So, this is Spain, huh?"<p>

Ashley looked around at the clouds and bare forest, both a steady, disheartening shade of grey. Leon had gone behind a wide oak to relieve himself, leaving her alone in a small clearing with Sandy. "What do you think?"

She looked down at the dog, who sat with his tail wagging among fallen leaves. The stray seemed quite happy to be with them, and as of yet had shown no signs of being infected with _Las Plagas._

"Pretty much."

Leon zipped his black jeans, immediately taking his gun from its holster. Ashley adjusted the straps of her backpack, taking up the rope lead she'd tied around Sandy's neck. She took one glance at Leon, and shivered.

"How long were you in that room?" Leon asked. He went ahead on the narrow path, every sense alert for trouble. Ashley shrugged.

"I don't know," she said truthfully. "All I know is waking up after being sedated for hours. It might've been days."

That got her thinking of what they'd injected in her, and her shivers worsened.

"Ugh, something tells me that…_thing_ wasn't all they did to me."

She looked up, seeing Leon tense, hearing the soft sound of footsteps somewhere in front of them. She watched his fingers tighten on his gun, and his voice was a low hiss as he said, "Ashley, go hide."

She nodded, moving silently to the trees edging the path. She'd just moved behind one when she cried out, the result of a bloodied man throwing her over his shoulder.

"Let go of me!"

Before Leon could react, she reached into her boot and pulled out a jack knife, stabbing her captor in the back. He yelled in pain, grip loosening. Ashley grabbed his shoulders, flipping over his head and onto her feet. She then finished her assault by burying her knife in his neck. Seconds later he fell, his body dissolving into a foul-smelling sludge. When the last of it had vanished, Ashley grabbed the man's shirt, using it to wipe her knife clean.

"Where'd you learn all that?" Leon barely hid the awe in his voice. She shrugged.

"A life time of Kung-Fu, gymnastics, and hunting with my dad."

She held up the knife, flipping it shut then slipping it back in her boot. She smiled. "Other than that, I'm still a girly-girl."

Leon shook his head. It was amazing enough she'd performed those moves, but she'd done it with a fully loaded backpack. Whatever Ashley claimed to be, she was no girly-girl.

"Let's keep going," he said. "There's no telling where they'll show next."

(****)

"Leon, are you sure you want me to stay up here?"

Ashley looked around at the small room, situated in the top of a tower. Leon nodded.

"Yeah, I can't have you getting hurt."

"But I could help!"

She glanced at the long sheath on his back, taking out his rifle before he had time to react.

"Hey!"

"Just lead them into the square," she said, and cocked the weapon. "I'll take care of the rest."

Leon rolled his eyes, but handed her the last box of ammo.

"Just don't miss," he said, then jumped to the floor. Ashley stuck out her tongue, getting into position against the low wall, lowering herself as much as she could while still retaining sight of the village.

_This isn't the most comfortable position, _she thought, pulling the trigger. The bullet hit a Ganado in the knee, and Leon delivered the kill blow. _But at least I'm not completely useless. _She shot again, this time hitting her target in the head. She then noticed the man on the roof, saw the sharp sickle raised in his hand.

_I'll let Leon take care of them, _she thought, changing her aim. Her crosshairs rested on the man's right ankle. _This guy's going down._

He fell from the roof, breaking his neck when his head hit the ground. After that she had to reload the rifle, and by the time she was ready to take another shot, Leon was the only one left in the square.

"You can come down," he called. "I'm gonna go look around."

She nodded, wondering how she'd get down without dropping the rifle.

_It looks like an antique, _she noted. _But he'd probably be pissed if I dropped it._

She decided to try it, finding it wasn't as hard as she'd thought. Once on the ground, she stared at the sky, wondering how long it would stay dark and rainy. She could hear Leon and Sandy, both rummaging around various parts of the village, and her gaze drifted to the path beside the tower.

_What's down there? _She started walking, stopping only when a bolt of lightning flashed behind her. She gave a small gasp. She'd almost stepped into a bear trap.

_Oh, good thing Leon gave me a flashlight, _she said to herself, and pulled it out. Its light revealed the path had about ten traps set on it, as well as two armed men waiting at the gate on the other end. She flicked the light off, wondering how to get their attention without getting Leon's.

_I don't want to slow him down. _She turned and saw several sticks lying in a pile, possibly kindling, and she got an idea.

_Say goodnight, losers!_

(****)

Leon watched her plan unfold. He chuckled to himself.

_She's gotta be the most foolhardy person I know, _he thought, shaking his head. To be honest, he hadn't seen those guys at the gate either, but he was already confident about Ashley's skills, so he'd decided to let her handle the pair on her own. Of course, he'd have her back, if she really needed some help. He watched her use the branches to set the traps off, eliciting excited shouts from the two guards. Ashley moved so she was hidden from their view by the tower, stabbing them from behind when they passed her. If they survived that, she simply stabbed them again. Once they were dead, she used her sticks to set off the rest of the traps, then waved him over.

"It's all good!" she called. Leon laughed again, watching Sandy run to her, tail whipping the air. She laughed, kneeling down to pet his scruffy head.

"Who's a good doggie?" she asked, in a little kid voice. "Who's a good doggie?"

Sandy relished the attention, barking happily and licking her face, making her giggle even more.

"Oh sure, mutt gets your attention," Leon grumbled, walking over. She ignored him, getting to her feet.

"So, where do we go now?" she asked. He shook his head.

"Well, the other gates are boarded," he said, glancing at the tower. "I guess this way's our best bet."

She nodded, following him up the scarred path, settling into a daydream.

_Why would they send someone like _this _after me?_

Her gaze was locked on Leon, watching his short, dark blonde hair shift in the breeze, the way his fingers moved around the grip of his gun. From what she could tell, this agent wasn't much older than her, but he had apparently been through quite a bit.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

He stopped.

"What?"

He pushed the gate open, seeing several sets of glowing red orbs in the distance.

"Hey, Ash," he said quietly. "How many shots left in the rifle?"

She shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Why?"

He turned slightly, tilting his head toward the farmhouse.

"Because I think we've got company."

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><p><em>Ashley gets a corny victory line! I fully support AshleyXLeon, so I decided to make our chica in distress a bit more...well, <em>not_ like a lady in distress. I hate gymnastics; it's what caused me to lose use of my hands in the first place, but it seemed like the only thing that could explain how Ashley's able to do some of what she does in this story. _

_Oh well. _

_So, how far ahead should the next chapter be, or do you want it to be a surprise?_


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